Who Really Was Kelbor Hal? – Part 5

Greetings, devotees of the Omnissiah and disciples of the Machine God! I welcome you back to our multi-part series diving into the tumultuous history of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Today, we delve into the dark, mechanical heart of the Siege of Mars, a cataclysmic event that left the Red Planet forever changed.

Perched on the edge of oblivion, the damaged ship was a sight to behold. Energy surged, so powerful not even the Void Shields could contain it. Cogitators melted under the onslaught, power regulators exploded, and Vox processors wailed in electronic distress. The ship was slowly coming apart at the seams, its gravity generators altering polarity in a desperate bid for survival. Layers of metal and stone peeled away, revealing the reactors beneath. They began to spin, throwing out dangerous arcs of energy. In the ship’s dying throes, the exposed heart beat in the open chest, a testament to the resilience of the Machine Spirit within. Then, they overloaded, and a blinding wave of light burst from the ruptured hull. This was not a peaceful end, but a violent, spectacular demise, a beam of light seeking retribution as it raced through the void.

As chaos unfurled, the blockade fleet launched torpedoes and fired at maximum range at the advancing Dark Mechanicum. The void was filled with the harsh staccato of gunfire, a symphony of destruction that punctuated the desperate struggle for survival.

Then, the surface of Mars stirred to life. Missiles and energy beams raced towards the besieged ships, and out from the caves crawled the Dark Magi’s hellish creations. Resembling fever dreams given form, these tortured machines boasted wings with bronze feathers that unfurled from under steel frames. Tails and necks stretched from fuselages, and multicolored flames roared from engines, the visual cacophony a testament to their makers’ twisted genius.

The blockade fleet met these abominations with returned fire. Waves of uncontrolled energy and fragments tore the machines to pieces, sending them plummeting back down to the red dust. But the Dark Mechanicum’s creations were not so easily defeated. During their descent, they reassembled themselves, metal fusing in tongues of flame, debris gathering into new shapes, and they returned to the sky with renewed vigor.

The battle was fierce, and eventually, the last survivors of Cber Diaz’s fleet retreated from Mars. The blockade was lifted, and the vast floating islands descended upon the surface of the Red Planet. There, nine champions of Kelbor Halal knelt in the dusty wastelands, a haunting tableau of triumph and tragedy.

The Fabricator General took control of Mars’ ground forces during the Siege of Terra. Eight of his nine followers surrounded The Emperor’s Palace with siege camps, positioned at necessary points to form an eight-pointed star. Among these were Ardin Protos, responsible for creating demonic Titans, and Axmar Tree, who uncovered a large store of archotech on Perimenis.

Yet, towering above them all was Soan Nul. Initially serving the Warmaster during the Mars blockade, she later delivered the terms of surrender to the loyal Mechanicus. Her body, no longer human-like, resembled a gigantic spider. She led the Dark Mechanicum forces on the surface during the Siege of Terra, her presence a dark omen of the horrors to come.

After the horrors of the Horus Heresy, a great purging ensued. Apostate Magi were exiled from Mars, forced to hide in the remote corners of the Imperium or the Eye of Terror. In exile, they delved even deeper into forbidden knowledge and heretical technologies. Of Kelber Hal’s fate, nothing is known. Such an ambitious ruler could very well have created a demon-forged world deep within the Eye of Terror, or even his own grim techno-empire.

And so we leave you with this chilling thought: before the Dark Magi, the mightiest champions of the Gods often grovel in hopes of gaining just a few demonic machines to strengthen their war bands. A reminder of the terrible power that can be harnessed when the limits of knowledge are cast aside. Until next time, disciples of the Machine God.

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